Invention: This invention is a novel concept to prepare sulfur based cathode materials for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries via the reaction of elemental liquid sulfur, vinylic comonomers and WS2 micron-sized particulates. This allows for the best Li-S battery performance with very high retention of charge capacity at fast charge-discharge rates.

Background: This approach is built on the inventor’s previous report of using a molybdenum sulfide micron sized particulates (MoS2) composite with either only liquid elemental sulfur, or the combination of MoS2, elemental sulfur (liquid) and vinylic comonomers. In earlier MoS2/S8 cathode materials, Li-S batteries fabricated with these materials were able to survive 1000 charge-discharge cycles while retaining charge capacities around 400 mAh/g. However, the best Li-S batteries made from these materials required a very high content of MoS2.

Applications:

Preparation of Li-S batteries with very fast charge/discharge rates when using only S8/WS2

Systems with very long cycle lifetimes with higher charge when further reacted with vinylic comonomers